Between Here and There

I have pondered quite a bit lately on the business of art. The difference between owning a retail shop/gallery and being the artist behind most of the work in the gallery. The marketing of art seems to have a few standards that don't necessarily fit the retail model. But here's the thing I've come to. As an artist, I believe my job is to communicate what is in my heart and vision to the canvas and ultimately to the viewer/collector/customer. Getting the message out beyond the walls of the gallery has become my motivator and underlying mission to any business plan. We (my husband and I) are working to shift our paradigm and get out of the box when it comes to this business we are in. Stay tuned for new developments. For the first time ever I am offering my customers a drastic discount on art this weekend. We are working on a new program we call Artful Access. We are preparing to re-engineer the gallery. We aren't there yet, but we're on our way.

Kind of like the place that inspired this painting. It literally was in the midst of the mountains between the desert of Redding, CA and the coastal town of Trinidad, CA.

Pulling out all the Stops

My eyes are positively blurry from all of the computer work I have done this week. I am doing all I can to get my work out there (or should I say here?) on the internet. You can now go to my shop at www.deborahgallart.etsy.com, order prints on demand from www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/abide-studio.html, become a fan of Deborah Gall Art on facebook, or follow me on www.twitter.com/abidestudio. Soon there will bargains to be had on EBay. I'm exhausted just thinking about it! It has been challenging and fun, and I hope will help spread the word and the art. Sometimes ya just gotta try.....

Rejected, Selected, or Directed?

Being a professional artist is risky business I have come to understand. Being a professional artist with a retail setting even more so. Every time I submit a piece or pieces for an exhibit or show I am opening myself up for rejection. It's actually quite common, those rejections. I have recently decided however that I was not the object of rejection, my work was just not selected. That is a subtle yet all important difference. One is about me, my heart, my self-confidence, etc. The other is about the work and the juror; it is about the wrong fit, not bad work. The other day at the gallery a person (can't call him a customer or a gentleman really since he was neither) spoke out quite loudly against a painting I had on an easel just outside of the shop. Insensitive. Rude. Both describe the comment he made. Further consideration showed me Uninformed would be another valid word. Again, not a valid commentary on me or on the work, but in this case a reflection of the speaker.

So, I have decided that I will take these "bumps along the road" as direction. Protection not rejection. And along the way I'll pat myself on the back for once again risking it, trying something new, and putting myself out there. So I'll keep the faith, stay the course, and do it all over again.....

Interwoven

This morning was a monthly Christian business women's networking breakfast. I am not accustomed to getting anywhere by 7:30 am these days, but once a month it is absolutely worth it. On my drive up to Brentwood this morning I realized that although I have gotten business from this group there is something more important to me. It's just nice to know that I'm not walking this journey alone. My regular customers help me along the way as well as friends and family, but I have also discovered the benefit of being intentional about gathering with this group who all share the same basic business philosophy: to God be the glory! Made me think of this painting, one of Angles, Lines, and Curves collection. It's titled "Interwoven" and although the lines don't necessarily follow all way across the canvas, I find that interesting. Kind of like life's relationships: for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime...

The Sky's the Limit

It has been a tough year in the art business. There is evidence of that all around me. I have decided however that I can concentrate on lack (of traffic, of sales, of interest, etc) OR I can focus on the future. With that the perspective I believe the sky really is the limit in terms of turn around and increase (of traffic, of sales, and of interest). And that is always true in terms of growth and increase of creativity. There is life to be enjoyed if we simply look and anticipate it. So my perspective of late has been, "What today?" Which painting do I work on? Who will I encounter? Where will i find a new lead or idea? What new technique would I like to explore? You get the point.
This piece is called "The Sky's the Limit" It is 30x40. $1350

Repurposing

Is that a word? About a month ago I decided I was tired of looking at a few paintings and put hang tags on them with great discounts. And they're still here. So, in the spirit of "Living Green" (there's an expo with that title going on at The Factory today) I decided that I would simply redo the skies and add a few highlights on a couple of paintings. It helps my creative juices flow, recycles paintings, and gives them a fresh look that I'm not tired of looking at. I call that a win-win situation!
Rushing Waters before is to the left. Rushing Waters after is to the right. 16x20 $400

Dance Anyway

Today I will close the studio early to attend a memorial service of a young man who died suddenly in a car accident last week. It's been a difficult week as we stood believing for a miracle and then heard the word that he had died. How do you find joy in the midst of that situation except to stand on the Rock of our Salvation? There is a passage in Isaiah that tells us that the Lord turns our mourning into dancing. I think it's the only way. This life is full of storms so it is imperative that we learn to dance anyway. To learn to dance in the midst of the storm is truly miraculous. Thanks be to God that He holds the key and gives it to His children. Shall we dance?

"Dance!" 18x18 $375